The extinction of the awkward phase

Erin Yarwood is a journalism junior and opinion columnist for Mustang News. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group.

Buried deep within the feed of my dad’s Instagram profile lies evidence of my 2015 awkward phase: a time in my life visualized by Adidas soccer shorts, blue-bracket braces and a high ponytail so tight my hairline never returned. 

Possessing a photo of a smaller, tweenager version of yourself looking a little ill-favored with a smile from ear to ear, seems to be a guaranteed occurrence for almost every friend I have ever had. But the awkward phase is coming to its extinction, and the effects of its disappearance are much more detrimental than one might think. 

It can’t possibly be that awful if kids no longer have to go through a stage where they seem to lack any style, smarts or self care, right? Well, it is. Kids are starting to use social media and mobile devices earlier than ever before, and there are a number of negative effects this phenomenon has, including the extinction of the awkward phase. 

In 2018, plastic surgeons coined the term “Snapchat Dysmorphia,” a self-image disorder that involves the compulsion to heavily edit one’s digital image. Plastic surgeons coined this term after a number of patients asked for cosmetic surgeries that would result in the resembling qualities of a Snapchat filter.

Obviously, these cases are extreme, but the mental toll displayed through the disorder is paralleled in millions of social media users, specifically teenage girls. Social media is quickening the pace at which preteens are growing up.

When kids are constantly exposed to videos and photos of young adults posting “picture perfect” and often edited content online, they feel an overwhelming pressure to resemble the content. Even further, they attempt to resemble the people who are receiving praise for what they’re posting, despite the fact that what they post is curated media from adults. 

In recent years, TikTok has only added to these issues, and ultimately made comparisons more accessible by placing teenagers on the app’s pedestal. The majority of top creators on the app, who have become famous internet influencers, are in their late teens and early twenties. Despite these influencers being unattainable comparisons for kids, their young age and commitment to social media and its fans attract a very young fan base that attempts to mirror them in every way possible.

This phenomenon presents itself through the mature way kids act, dress, dance, talk, and do their makeup. While they may look put together, they don’t look like kids, and it is because they feel a consistent pressure to not be. This continues to blur line between childhood and adulthood.

The self image issues that come with constant social media stimulation, are accompanied by addictive behaviors and negative mental health. Mobile phone use results in higher levels of anxiety, depression, boredom and short moods. 

In this new age of social media, there doesn’t seem to be a way to go back to a time where kids could grow up in blissful ignorance of the beauty standards that would soon be forced onto them. Kids are going to keep becoming adults younger and younger.

The unfair pressure put on them to mature at increasing rates is a direct cause of the creators of the social media platforms reinforcing these standards. Until social media platform creators are ready to focus on mental health instead of money, there will be no change.

Recollection of the awkward phase might come with some memories or digital evidence that make you cringe, but they were also crucial years in the development of our generation. Without those few years of being carefree and unknowing, who would we be now?